Mail-bag catcher and deliverer



(No Model.) Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 1., J. MQHENRY.

MAIL BAG GATCHER AND DELIVERER. No. 319,287. PatentedJune 2, 1885.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2* J. MoHENRY. MAIL BAG GATOHER AND DELIVERER.

No. 319,287. Patentgd June 2, 1885.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.,

J. McHENRY. MAIL BAG GATOHER AND DELIVEREB.

No. 319,287. Patented June 2,1885.

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NITED STATES ,JOHN MCHENRY, OF MCDONALD, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BAG CATCHER AND DELIVERER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,287, dated June 2, 1885.

Application filed April 21, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MOHENRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mc- Donald, in the county of Washington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers and Deliverers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for catching mail-bags from a supporting-crane at a station, and at the same time delivering one or'lnore mailbags from a passing train.

It consists in certain novelty of construction and arrangement of the receiver and deliverer secured to the car, and of the stationary supporting-crane and receiver at the station, all of which I will now proceed to point out and describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of my invention, showing the various parts in position to receive and deliver the mail-bags, said mailbags being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the supporting-crane and receiver at the station and of a car provided with my invention, the top of the car being removed and the mail-bags in position to be delivered and received. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the car after it has passed the supporting-crane and the mail-bags have been received and delivered. Fig. 4 is a detail.

Referring to said drawings, A is a railwaytrack; B, a stationary frame adjacent to the track; 0, a receiving-frame hinged at one end to the frame B at b.

c are wires forming a spring-bottom for the frame, into which the mail-bags drop, as hereinafter described.

a is a metal support hinged to the free end of the receiving-frame. When in position to receive a mail-bag, the free end of the frame 0 is raised, and the support a rests on a spring-arm, 0 thus giving said frame a slight spring when the mail-bags fall upon it. The

support 0 maybe of any desired height.

When not in use the frame is lowered to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3.

D is a vertical stationary frame secured to the frame B.

d d are projecting arms, forming, in combination with the frame D, supporting-cranes, on one of which a mail-bag is received and from the other a mail-bag is delivered.

(1 are delivering-arms hinged at one end to the frame D, the upper arm being supported, when in position to deliver a mailbag, by the arm (1, the lower arm by the pin d. A mail-bag is hung on the outer ends of these arms, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. As the receiver on a passing car catches the bag, the arms are knocked off their supports and fall to the position shown in Fig. 3. I

Eis a triangular-shaped frame hinged to the frame 1).. y

E is a receiving-needle on the end of the frame F. Said needle is adapted to engage with a loop on a mail-bag, which is hung on the deliverer of a passing car and catches said mailbag as the car passes. The needle is held in place by a projection, e, engaging with a pin, 6. When not in use, it is turned back to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2.

e is a projection on the arm d, which en gages with the detaching-lever of the deliverer on a car, for a purpose hereinafter described.

F is a railway-car; f, a door in the same. A similar door isprovided on the opposite side of the car.

G is a removable crane, having the post 9, mounted in suitable bearings, 51 g, on the inside of the car, and also provided with the compound arm G, composed of two sections, H H, hinged together at the elbow h, the section H being rigidly secured at a right angle to the post 9.

I is a basket or mail-bag receiver secured to the outer end of the section H. To use the receiver the post 9 of the crane is rotated on its bearings, the compound arm being bent and the basket or receiver passed out through the door until the section H is parallel with the side of the car and rests against the bear- 55 falling under the train.

ing f, the section H resting against the side of the door-frame and bearing f which forms a strong support for the same.

The post 9, being removable can be taken down and placed in suitable bearings on the opposite side of the ear, the receiver projecting out through the opposite door. It will thus be seen that the device can be used on either side of a car.

If desired, two compound arms and receivers could be secured to the post of the crane, thus doubling the number of mail-bags that can be received and delivered.

K is a delivering-frame rigidly securedto the rear of the receiving-basket.

k is a supporting-hook located about the center of the frame. On this hook a mail-bag is hung.

K is an arm hinged at one end to the side of the frame K. Said arm K is provided with an eye, is, which fits over the hook k. The

outer end of the arm projects over the outer side of the frame K.

Lisa Weighted detaching-lever pivoted to the outer end of the compound arm G. Said lever is provided with an upwardly-projecting arm, Z, which engages with the projection e" on the supporting-crane at the station when the lever is adjusted for use.

M is an upWardly-projecting hook secured to the center of the frame K. On this hook a mail-bag, N, is hung. Said bag is provided with aloop, n, which is adapted to be caught by the receiving-needle E.

O and P are mail-bags. Y

My invention is operated as follows: As the train approaches a station, a mail-bag similar to N and provided with a loop, a, is hung on the hook M. If there are two bags to be delivered,

place the eye of arm K over the hook is, adjust the weighted lever L so that its end will be behind the end of the arm K, then hang a bag on said hook 7a. The compound arm G is then moved out through the door to position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

1 At the station the receiving frame 0 is raised, as shown, and a mail-bag hung on the arms d As the train passes the stationary crane, the needle E engages with the loop 12 and lifts the same off the hook, and the upper projecting arm of the detaching-lever strikes the projection e on the stationary crane and forces the arm K and mail-bagoff the hook is, the bag dropping into the receiving-frame O, which holds said bag and prevents it from Simultaneously with this operation the mail-bag P is caught by the receiving-basket I, and after the train has 1. In a stationary apparatus for catching mail-bags, a receiving-frame hinged at one end to a stationary frame and provided with a spring-botton1 and an adjustable support, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

2. In a stationary apparatus for catching mail-bags, a receiving-frame, 0, hinged at one end to a stationary frame and provided with an adjustable support, 0, in combination with a spring-arm, c, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A stationary crane for receiving mailbags, provided with a frame, E, hinged to said crane, havinga projecting receiving-needle, E, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

4. In a mail-bag catcher, a swing-crane mounted in suitable hearings on the inside of a car, and provided with a compoundarm composed of two sections hinged together and having a receiving-basket on the outer end of said arm, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

5. In a mail-bag catcher, the removable crane composed of the post 9, mounted in suitable bearings on the inside of a car, and the compound arm G in two sections, H H, provided with the receiving-basket I on the outer end of said arm, all arranged substantially as shown and described, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a mail-bag deliverer, a swinging crane mounted in suitable bearings on the inside of a car, and provided with a compound arm, G, having secured to its outer end the frame K, having the supporting-hook k, in combination with the arm K, provided with the eye k, and the detaching-lever L, having the projecting arm 1, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a mail-bag deliverer, a swinging crane mounted in suitable bearings on the inside of a car, having the compound arm G, provided with the supporting-hook M, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

8. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, a swing-crane mounted in suitable bearings on the inside of a car, and having a compound arm, G, provided on its outer end with a receiving-basket, I, and a frame, K, having the delivering-hook 7c,'in combination with the arm K, and the detaching-lever L, having the JOHN MOHENRY.

Witnesses:

JAMES A. WIBLE, W. H. CLARK. 

